Furnace for volatilizing zinc form its ores.



H. H. HUGHES. l FURNACB POR VOLATILIZING ZINC PROM ITS GRES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.11, 1.910`

Paented Jan. 3, E911.

2 SHEETS-SHBE'I lA 'MI yf H. H. HUGHES.

FURNAGE FOR VOLATILIZING ZINC FROM ITS ORES.

APPLIUATION FILED 111113.11, 1910.

Patented .121113, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- d( @Hoff/ump:

UNITED? .sragrnsrarnnr oFFIoE. i

:reinar II. HUGHES, or SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, AssIGNoIt or ONE-HALEN F.x. HEER-AND A. J. EISENMAYEB, BOTH or SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI.

yFU'RJI'AC FOR VOLATILIZING ZINC FROM ITS CRES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Hanny H. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Greene and State of Miouri,have invented certain' new and useful Improvements in Furnaces forVolatilizing Zinc from Its Ores, of which the following is aspecification, refi. erence beinghad therein to the 'accompanyingdrawing.

.This invention relates to an Improvement in furnaces for volatizingzinc from-its ores, and pertains'more'particularly'to -an improvementinthat form of furnace illuslio trated and described in U. S. LettersPatent No. 922,906, issued to me on the 25th day of*- May 1909.

In the funa- 'specifically deseribed in -1 my aforementioned patent, theso-caller.; 'er

therein stated condenser member was, de-

si ed to be connected with the retortand' tobe rotated'with the retort.While-such a construction would operate A satisfactorily, l: haveascertained that to preserve the retort-.-in itsl proper shape end toprevent straining an thereby cracking, it is more advantageous to applylto the retort, substantially direct, the outer 4rotating instru- I have4also ascertained/that the condenser can be a fixed member, asistinguished from a rotating member, Jand' serve its purpose equally aswell. I find,

however, that in connection with the condenser of the stationary ty'peheretofore referrell'to, is advisable to have' the internalarea thereofgreater t-han thatl of .the retort 'and to eliminate or extract theresidue or'non-volatile matter at a point well in advance of the outlet.from the 'coiilensen B the employment of a--relativoly large con enseran expansion permitteclrfthich results inthe more complete separatimr ofthe vapor from the non-volatile matter, and

that by removing the non-volatile matter :is-a preliminary step to thefinal condensation 'of the 'volatile material a more perfect separationof the 'metallic zine is secured l than heretofore.

There are other 'specific features of construction in the presentinvention which differ somwhatfrom that of my former patentediiivention,all of which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed. Theinvention, while lwing'direeted to anv Specication of Letters'latent.

Patentedaan. 3, 1911.

Application tiled February 11, 1910. Serial No. 543,366.

apparatus also lconiprehends a method or a series of steps ofoperationdiffering fromA the prior artA and |Which method will hereafter be morefully explained and defined in the claims.

The general objects of the present 'invention are substantially thosestated in the patent heretofore referred to, that-is to say, asubstantially perfect separation of the me. tallic zinc fromf-its oreswith expedition and at greatly reduced cost.

as one wherein a continuous process is-carried out 'without the.necessaryconstant hand manipulation as has been thepractice'heretofore;` i

In the accompanyingy drawings, the appa.- 1

ratus is shown somewhat diagrammatica but it is to be understood thatthe illustrative `representations are employed herein for the purposesof specifyi and defining the invention, and that there ore the inventionis not necessarily limited to specific details, as it is obvious thatmany minor changes can be made without. departing from the natureandprinciple of the invention.

In the drawings: F1 re 1 is a longitudinalcentral sectional view of theapparatus showing parts in elevation, Fig. 2 is a cross sectional viewon the line --w of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of apor/ tion ofthe revolving furnace.k

A designates a. supportin base comprising. generallyspeakmg', aramework, one endof which is supported directly on the supportingsurface, while'the other end is carried conveniently by adjusting 'acks,one of which' is shown in Fig. 1 and esignated by the letter a. B thismeans the frame is allowed to be' a justed upand down to vary itsinclination with-a'view of securino -a proper and-uniform feed of themateriali formed of cement 'or brickwork, as mday be desired. Theopposing faces of these walls are formed with circular recesses intowhich the ends of the revolving furnace member C, are loosely fitted.The revolving furnace comprises an outer metallic 'shell C, an innernon-combustiblclining, preferably of fire clay c., and a series ofradial retort supports C', The furnace'is supported for ro- Theinvention-may he properly classified tation, conveniently 6u standardsD-D,'

each of which are provided with anti-friction rollers d, fl', the formerhaving a central rib iitlmg 1n a groove 1n the surrounding track platec3', while the latter are en- A gaged by the track plate c4L on thefurnace wall.

E designates a cylindrical retort, conveniently formed of tire clay orother heat-resisting material. This retort is conveniently cylind-lealthroughout,l andthe walls are relatively thin so that the interior ofthe retort can be promptly highly heated by the Qre clay orother-suitable material, are adjustableinwardly by suitable set screwsF, .entering 'through threaded openings in the steel or metal casing ofthe furnace. The

fire contained within the furnace. To support t'he retort within therevolving furnace,

the lower. ends of the retort supports C are 'formed with suitableVsaddles or seats con;

formingtjo the curvature ofthe outer face Aof the'retort, as shown inFign.; These radial supports 'being convenientl made of outerA endsoffthe radial supports are seated in recessesgin the fire brick liningofthe' furnacewhich recesses areA sliiciently deep to 'permit of a`r'adial movement of the sup- L ports: This feature of the invention isimportant inasmuch A as any variations 1n temperatureprzexpansion ofmaterialsdnay be taken up'fand properlyvaccounted for by the adjustmentsof the supports, thereby' main- Y taining' the" cylindrical retortA inits proper position and .preventing initial si' rains being placedthereon during rotation. The for- Ward end of the retort is capped by asuitable cap G through which a feed pipe G 1 extends, which pipe carriesat its outer -end anvupstanding portion communicating withvand'suppqrting a supplement al feed hopper G2. Thefeed G vis protectedby a sleeve g which extends fromA the retort through the forward furnacewall and terminates ladjjacent the hopperend of the feed.

Hvdesignates the -main feed hopper which is in the form of a receptaclesupported on and secured to the front base of the furnace wall B.- pThis receptacle H is of a diameter greater than that. of thesupplemental 'hopper G2, thereby 4forming between the edges of thelatter and the walls of the receptacle attached thereto a metallic cap Jto which is keyed or otherwise conveniently attached a driving ear j.

To supp y the interior of the furnace with proper fuel, a supply pipe Kis provided l leading from any suitable source and terminating end wallof the furnace into the combustion chamber. The exhaust is -in the formof a tlue leading through the forward end of the wall of the furnace, asindicated in dotted lines in-Fig. 1 at M.

Any suitable form of burner may be employed, either for gas or liquid.

L designates the condenser, t-he same being in the form of a metalcylinder of a diameter greater than that of the retort. This'condenseris elongated and itsforward end is projected into the cap J,the"jointbeing sealed by a suitable stutiingvbox j so `as to permit the proper'rotationofthe. cap lrelative toA the condensersffcylinder.- `The`condenser is supported .ons uprights- Z and 'adjacent itsl forward end,at .thepbottom thereof, is an 'opening -'Lfextended some-kopening'communicate's with a discharge l2, the .lower end of whichcommunicates-with a hopper L2. The lower lend of the 'hopper is providedwith two separated discharge'gates '13, 14, of a charactersimilartothose -shown in my former .patent sothatby the'z opening of theuppero'ate the material collectedin .the hopper will descend 'into'thespacelw-4 the' upper gate and openingthel jower `gate the material maybe discharged into a suitable receptacle.v The condenser vis providedwith a 'discharge end, the-"forward end of which is formed withadownwardly-curved part' constituting a trap, as atv n into which'projectsA the end wall l 15 of 'the condenser, the edge of this end.wall projecting-below 'the plane of the bottom offthe condenser.

O represents the receiving; pa'nfor the condensed metal, the samebe1ng`"con\en iently f mounted on 'a truck. Should it be foundnecessary'to increase the temperature of the condenser-a suitable .gasburner such as P may be provided, and also'a` suitable burner or heater'as p may be positioned .below the'outlet trap of the condenser-` Torotate the furnaceanysuitablegearing may be employed, but conveniently ashaft Q' is mounted in suitable bearings andc'arries on its oppositeends pinion's g, g. 'The formermeshes, with the rack g2 on the revolvingfurnace, While the latter meshes with the largel gear .i mounted on ,thecap which is connected to the protruding end of the retort. The shaft Q.may be driven fromvany suitable source through a suitable sprocket orother'wheel, as at rf.A -The carbon gases escaping from the condensermay be led through the valved exhaust pipe ll tween the gates' andVthereafteriby closing in a burner projected through the c operation.

into receiving tenias ld', R2, from whence they may be Withdrawn cit-herdirectly into the combustion chamber of the furnace or for any other usedesired.

ln operation, the ore mixed with the carhon in the usual manner, andcrushed, is into the supplemental hopper from whence it is discharged"nto the cylindrical retort. As the retort is highlyv heated androtated, the ore is constantly agitated and new surfaces presented tothe heated Walls of the retort continuously until the saine isdischarged from end of the retort. Buring the heating interval, themetallic vapors are. generated and pass from the retort into theenlarged condensing' chamber While the resi due or non-volatile materialflows from the end of the retort immediately into the loottom of thecondensing chamber. Owing to the inclination of the apparatus theresidue will immediately pass into the discharge 'Z2 and he collected inthe discharging hoppers thereoelow, While the vapors will expend in thecondensing chamber and there meeting with a reduced temperature hecondensed in the remoter portions of the chamber, collecting in thebottom and escaping through the escape or discharge. Owing to thesealing of the discharge and to the sealing of the other joints in theapparatus, air is prevented from enterino the furnace during This isimportant, as is well known to those skilled in the art. lWhen it isdesired to remove the vgases contained Within the condenser, the valvein the dis charge J is opened and the gases allowed to pass into thestorage tanks, or to any other point for subsequent u.

By making the retort cylindrical l have found that the same may heconstructed more economically and with greater uniformity es tothickness of material. l have also found that the cylindrical retort ismore easily and accurately adjusted in the center vof the furi nace. Thedriving` wheel K, as will he observed, is of the' saine diameter es therack g2 on the furnace, and inasmuch as the driving,` pinions are of thesame diameter, a uniform speed will he acquired by the furnace andretort, thusvpreventing the friction which is created lat the protrudingend of the retort from tending to turn or twist the retort and thuscrack the saine.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1.,ln a furnace for volatilizing` metallic zinc from its ore, thecombination With a revolulile retort, ineens for revolving the re tort,a stationary condenser coupled directly to the retort and adapted toreceive the ivolatile orcl and residue therefrom, and

means for feeding material to the revolving' retort.

S. ln a furnace for volatilizing Zinc from its ores, a revoluhle retort,means for revolve which the retort. disci.

ing the retort, a stationary'condensing ehenr lier ernznrnunieating,ldirectly min the retort, a 'discharge means the forward eno' of thecondenser, and a discharge means end of the condensera o r. e eb. ,an

, ruine; zinc reni for feeding; material to the retort.

5. ln a furnace for volatilizing zinc from its ores, the combinationwith a revolving furnace, a cylindrical retort mounted there in, meanscommunicating with the forward end of the retort for continuous feedingore thereto during rotation thereof, a condenser coupled to the rear endof the rear end of the retort and of a capacity greater than that of theretort,v and a sealed discharge for the condenser.

6. ln a furnace for volatilizing Zinc from ,its ores, the combination'with a revolving furnace, of cylindricnl retort mounted Within the furnce, a feed for the forward end of the retort, a stationary condenserconnected to the rear end of the retort, said condenser having adischarge at its forward end for the noiivolatile material, and adischarge for the condensed material at the opposite end.

7. ln a furnace for volatilizing zincfroin its ores, the combinationwith a revolving furnace` of a retort mounted therein, moans for feedingmaterial into the end of the retort,a condenser into which the rear, endof the retort leads, said condenser hanf` ing a discharge at its forwardend, and a discharge for the condensed material at its rear end. I ,v

ln a furnace for volatilizing zinc from its ore, the combination with arevolving furnace, of a retort centrally located therein, and adjustablemeans for supporting the retort. in the furnace. i

9. ln a furnace for voletilizing zinc from 'ts ores, the combinationwith a revolving furnace, of e series of radial supports in, means foradjusting the supports and ,2;1 retort. carried hy said support.

l0. ln n furnace of thecharacter scribed, a revoluhle retort, a cond:

es, a cai;A haring connection with the retort and engaging the the rearmeans for revolving the retort, and ineens' lil() ies lltl

condenser. means associated with the cap for assisting' `1n drlring the'retort, and means for driving' the retort associatedlwith said firstYmentioned means.

d ll. In a furnace for volatilizing zinc from itsores. the conihmatlon.with a revoluble retortl and a furnace therefor, mean'sjfflir feedingthe ore into the front end o the E retort, a condenser into which the'rearjend of the retort discharges, said condenser being provided withan' opening in the bot tomA thereof adjacent its forward end, a hoppercommunicating with the opening,

and a sealed discharge at the rear end of the retort. l.

12. In an apparatus forvolatilizing zinc

